F3 derby: Jets captain Nigel Boogaard hoping to punish Central Coast Mariners
Property development beckons for Nigel Boogaard when he hangs up the boots but a local demolition job is the immediate focus for the Newcastle Jets captain.
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Property development beckons for Nigel Boogaard when he hangs up the boots but a local demolition job is the immediate focus for the Newcastle Jets captain.
The F3 derby with the Central Coast Mariners is a special one for Boogaard and he knows what it means to all involved having experienced it from both sides.
While so much of the derby spotlight focuses on big city battles in Sydney and Melbourne, the former Mariner believes the A-League’s ‘original’ derby has rediscovered its mojo and the old spark is back.
The 32-year-old remembers some bone-crunching battles in the early years of the A-League and it’s a rivalry that will always hold a special place in his heart.
But there’s no question of sentiment this weekend as Ernie Merrick’s men look to extend the Mariners’ miserable (and winless) start to the season.
Mike Mulvey’s men are rock bottom with just two points from eight games.
“There’s a lot on the line for us and for them,” Boogaard said. “We are disappointed we haven’t got more points on the board.
“It’s always a great occasion. Hopefully it’s a packed house and we can put on an entertaining show.”
There has been no shortage of hype ahead of the game. Striker Roy O’Donovan’s return to action against his former club has helped stoke the fires.
And while the Mariners are still winless in eight matches, Boogaard refuses to buy into talk that a win ‘is coming’ or that the tide will turn for their rivals.
“At the end of the day, if you concentrate on the opponent and when they’re ‘about to win’ then you’re already going into the game with a negative mindset,” he said. “You can’t go into it thinking ‘they need a win; or ‘their time’s coming’ because you’re defeated before you’ve taken to the park.”
The Jets captain will drum into his teammates the importance of blasting out of the blocks and putting their rivals on the back foot.
“They’ve got some quality all over the park and like any team in the league if you allow those players time and space on the ball they can punish you,” Boogaard said. “But overall as a collective I still believe that we’re stronger than them and if we play our best football we’ll come away with three points. “But at the end of the day we have to go out there and perform otherwise it means nothing.”
While disappointed with results so far this campaign, Boogaard believes the club itself has never been in better shape.
The skipper, who has recently joined a Hunter-based property group as he eyes a future beyond football (after studying residential drafting and building construction), points to the highest membership numbers in the club’s history and a strong, thriving link with the community.
“There is a genuine connect there, which was maybe lost in the past.
“The club now has the W-League, Youth League and Academy all under the one banner. This club does represent this town at all those levels and those teams. We’re heading in the right direction.”
And Boogaard believes the addition of two new teams to the A-League is another healthy sign.
“It’s great to bring more teams in,” Boogaard said. “It’s positive for the sport.
“More opportunities for players and it’s exciting to be a footballer and to see where the game’s heading.”
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